PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Airbnb to the PATA family. With more than four million Airbnb listings worldwide it impossible to ignore the impact that the sharing economy is having upon the travel and tourism industry. It is important that we are able to add this voice to our discussions in the development of a responsible travel and tourism industry, especially when we examine the role of the sharing economy in the dispersal of tourists to lesser known and emerging destinations.”

“Over the next few months, PATA and Airbnb will be working together to bring greater insights on topics related to the sharing economy – including its economic impact and the issue of over tourism,” added Dr. Hardy.

“Home sharing has become an important economic engine for communities around the world,” said Thao Nguyen, APAC head of strategic partnerships at Airbnb. “We’re excited to join the PATA family and play our part in promoting healthy and sustainable tourism that directly benefits local communities.”